“For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it… Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men. Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: ‘Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed” (Mt 28:2, 4-6, CPDV).

“Now on the morning of the Sabbath, when it began to grow light on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. And behold, a great earthquake occurred. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it. Now his appearance was like lightning, and his vestment was like snow. Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men. Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: ‘Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed. And then, go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he will precede you to Galilee. There you shall see him. Lo, I have told you beforehand.’ And they went out of the tomb quickly, with fear and in great joy, running to announce it to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Hail.’ But they drew near and took hold of his feet, and they adored him. Then Jesus said to them: ‘Do not be afraid. Go, announce it to my brothers, so that they may go to Galilee. There they shall see me’” (Mt 28:1-10, CPDV).

The Gospel is literally the “Good News.” Indeed, the greatest news! Christ has risen and now invites us to participate in His divine life—His boundless joy and love. He draws us near and incorporates us into His divine sonship, genuinely transforming us into children of God. “From the apostles we have received this good news, which we must bring ‘to the heart of every man and woman’ by placing it ‘in the innermost folds of the whole society’” (St. John Paul II). The victory is guaranteed, and the Resurrection confirms every promise Christ made! Let go of your fears and worries; embrace the abundant joy and new life we gain through Christ’s Passion, death, and Resurrection!

“Faith in the Resurrection has as its object an event which is historically attested to by the disciples, who really encountered the Risen One. At the same time, this event is mysteriously transcendent insofar as it is the entry of Christ’s humanity into the glory of God. The empty tomb and the linen cloths lying there signify in themselves that by God’s power Christ’s body had escaped the bonds of death and corruption. They prepared the disciples to encounter the Risen Lord. Christ, ‘the first-born from the dead’ (Col 1:18), is the principle of our own resurrection, even now by the justification of our souls, and one day by the new life he will impart to our bodies” (CCC 656-658).

Jesus Christ rose from the grave, overcame sin and death, and offered us a share in His glorious Resurrection. The Son of Mary has crushed the head of the serpent. Satan did not have the last say. The Roman torturers and murderers did not have the last say. And the proud religious leaders did not have the last say. Though, perhaps, they may have had the last say for their own cold, stony hearts, for they refused to acknowledge the boundless love of Christ, all the miracles of Christ, and even the Resurrection of Christ. Let us make sure we allow ourselves to be transformed by the Resurrection. Let us tirelessly pray for those who desperately hide both Christ and His good news.

Jesus did not rise to continue His earthly life but to begin a glorified, indestructible life. He rose to give us a glimpse of the Promised Land toward which we all journey and to offer us the grace to progress on that journey. He rose to show us that after this life, we are also called to live a glorified, indestructible life with and in Him, in the Kingdom of God. The Risen One meets us on the way, just as He met Mary Magdalene; He calls us by name and reassures us that He is with us on the Journey home. We are together on the Journey to God, united with our Lord and His Pilgrim Church, longing for that ultimate family reunion at the Eternal Banquet.

The Resurrection is the foundation of our faith. It is the Father’s stamp of approval and confirmation of everything Jesus said and did. The Resurrection proves Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of the living God!

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We who follow in Christ’s footsteps, bearing our own cross and offering our lives to Him and others in sacrifice, will be raised as He was, with a glorious and eternal body.

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We are called to be children of God through Jesus Christ, who has conquered sin and death on our behalf as one of us. Through Him and in Him, we become children of God.

“‘[Y]ou will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight” (Act 1:8-9).

“He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Act 1:3).

“When they had gathered together they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He answered them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven’” (Act 1:6-11).

“Christ’s ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain, whence he will come again… Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, precedes us into the Father’s glorious kingdom so that we, the members of his Body, may live in the hope of one day being with him forever. Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 665-667). We will follow where our beloved Lord leads so that we can be with Him always.

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus instructs His apostles to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded them (Mt 28:20). This great commission truly calls all disciples—faithful Catholics throughout history—to continue Jesus’ work of preaching, teaching, and healing. Not only priests and religious, not only gifted speakers and missionaries, but every faithful Catholic. Our efforts will vary greatly; however, we must witness to those around us through both word and example. We must plant seeds and open doors in ways big and small, wherever we go.

The disciples still wanted to know when Christ would restore the nation of Israel, right up to His last moments on earth. The greatest testament of God’s love and fellowship was still overshadowed by their desire to overthrow Roman rule. Our Lord immediately changed the subject and commissioned them to be His witnesses throughout the whole world—to make disciples of all nations! Not until Pentecost would they fully get their priorities right, not until Pentecost would they forget about Rome and focus on continuing the work of Jesus. They just didn’t get it until Pentecost! May we dedicate our lives to forming living, growing disciples. May political issues and even social justice pale before this great commission.

Jesus has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, yet He remains perpetually with us at the same time—nearer now than when He walked the Earth. We cannot see Him with our natural eyes, and yet He is present through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is present in His word and the sacraments; He lives in every faithful heart and in every sacrifice. He dwells in His Mystical Body, the Church. And, above all, He is present in the Holy Eucharist. “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).

Jesus Christ, fully man and fully God, brought His humanity—our humanity—with Him when He ascended to heaven and took His place at the right hand of the Father. “[I]n His humanity, he took mankind with him in the intimacy of the Father, and so has revealed the final destination of our earthly pilgrimage” (Pope Benedict XVI). 

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“Left to its own natural powers humanity does not have access to the ‘Father’s house,’ to God’s life and happiness. Only Christ can open to man such access that we, his members, might have confidence that we too shall go where he, our Head and our Source, has preceded us” (CCC 661).

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“Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 667).

“And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place. And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently… And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them” (Act 2:1-4, CPDV).

“And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place. And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them. Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language… [Peter proclaimed the Gospel.] [T]hose who accepted his discourse were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added on that day.” (Act 2:1-6, 41, CPDV). The Holy Spirit trans­formed the frightened apostles into world conquerors, and the world entered the age of the Church.

They finally got it! The Holy Spirit descended on them, and suddenly they understood what Jesus offered the world. They truly grasped what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how they would travel to the ends of the earth, preaching the Gospel and forming disciples. They no longer concerned themselves with overthrowing Rome, nor did they worry about the dangers of discipleship. They fearlessly and boldly won the world for Christ. We, too, must allow our own Pentecost to set us on fire and help us win our own corner of the world for Christ!

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him” (Jn 14:16-21).

“On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity. By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the ‘last days,’ the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated.

“We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us” (CCC 732).

“Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, [our adoption as children of God], our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory, and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all ‘fulness of blessing,’ both in this world and in the world to come…” (St. Basil the Great). O, that sweetest, most undeserved, and unattainable prize of superabundant life with Christ, given so freely, generously, and even eagerly by the Holy Spirit!

“[The Holy Spirit] pours light into our minds, arouses our desire and gives us strength… As the soul is the life of the body, so the Holy Spirit is the life of our souls” (St. Peter Damian).

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We are a Pentecostal people, embracing a perpetual Pentecost and transforming the world. We gather in the Upper Room—our churches and homes—to praise and worship our Lord. Driven by the Spirit, we evangelize those in our circles and invite them to the Upper Room—our churches, homes, and small church communities.

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The “grace at Pentecost has continued to bear its marvelous fruits, everywhere instilling apostolic zeal, a desire for contemplation, the commitment to live and serve God and our brothers and sisters with complete dedication” (St. John Paul II).

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Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with Your peaceful zeal, joyful work, and loving generosity. Make clear the gifts You have given us and the mission You assign for Your glory.

Mary, the new Eve and mother of the Church, “enjoying beforehand, by a unique privilege, the destiny reserved for all the just at the resurrection of the dead” was assumed into heaven and reunited with her divine son, our Lord Jesus Christ (RVM 23).

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Lk 1:46–49).

Mary, the new Eve and mother of the Church, “enjoying beforehand, by a unique privilege, the destiny reserved for all the just at the resurrection of the dead,” was assumed into heaven and reunited with her divine son, our Lord Jesus Christ (RVM 23). Such a joyful reunion! All the hosts of heaven join the Holy Trinity in the celebration.

Our Blessed Mother rightly follows Our Lord into eternity and beckons us, her spiritual children, to likewise follow Christ through this world and into the next.

“The Feast of the Assumption is a strong appeal to us to live ‘ever intent upon heavenly things,’ and not to allow ourselves to be carried away by the vicissitudes and seductions of the world. Not only was our soul created for heaven, but also our body, which, after the resurrection, will be welcomed into our heavenly home and admitted to a participation in the glory of the spirit. Today we contemplate in Mary, our Mother, this total glorification of our humanity. That which has been wholly realized in her, will be realized for us, as well as for all the saints, only at the end of time” (Fire Within, Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen).

“It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped when giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God” (St. John Damascene).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is reunited with His Holy Mother. The Creator of heaven and earth has ascended to heaven and calls His mother to join Him at the end of her earthly life. The greatest mother-child reunion of all history unfolds, even though they were never truly a part. Jesus always reflects Mary’s humanity, just as Mary reflects Jesus’ Divinity. And Mother Mary’s resurrected body further affirms that all the faithful—every sibling of Jesus, every child of Mary—will also be resurrected and enter eternal life at the end of this age. We will share in their joy; we too will rejoice in the heavenly reunion.

Like our Lord, the tomb of our Blessed Mother was found empty, for He has taken her body and soul into heavenly glory. The Assumption of our Blessed Mother fills us with both great joy and hope. “Yes, we are still pilgrims, but our mother has gone on ahead, where she points to the reward of our efforts. She tells us that we can make it. And, if we are faithful, we will reach home. The blessed Virgin is not only our model, she is the help of Christians. And as we besiege her with our petitions—‘Show that you are our Mother’—she cannot help but watch over her children with motherly care” (Pope Pius XII).

Our Blessed Mother—raised, glorified, and taken into heaven—assures us of the eternal destiny awaiting us beyond this foreign land through which we journey homeward. “This supernatural vision sustains our daily pilgrimage” (St. John Paul II).

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The Father prepared the Virgin Mary as a worthy mother for the Son through her Immaculate Conception. Obedient throughout her life, the Holy Trinity rightly spares her any bodily corruption.

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“By looking at Mary’s Assumption into heaven, we understand better that even though our daily life may be marked by trials and diffi-culties, it flows like a river to the divine ocean, to the fullness of joy and peace” (Pope Benedict XVI).

“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hail­storm. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev. 11:19-12:1).

“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hail­storm. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev 11:19-12:1). Our Blessed Mother is the New Ark of the Covenant because her body became the new dwelling place of God on Earth. She brought the Son of God into the world. And in Revelation, we see this New Ark of the Covenant, the God-Bearer, crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth, reflecting the very glory of her divine Son. Now, as on earth, she calls all her children to journey forward with Christ, growing closer to divine intimacy and ultimately the beatific vision.

Jesus crowned Holy Mary as the Queen Mother of Heaven and Earth. This coronation was foreshadowed by the monarchy of King David and other ancient kingdoms. In these kingdoms, the king’s mother ruled as queen, not his wife. And, as in many of these kingdoms, people often petitioned the queen mother to gain the king’s favor. And since the wedding at Cana, our Blessed Mother has interceded for us, continually presenting the needs and petitions of the family of God to her divine Son. Let us indeed turn to our Holy Mother for her prayers, and let us likewise petition Our Lord on behalf of the pilgrim church.

Mary is the Mother of God. “[T]his supreme dignity… raises her above all other creatures, even to the threshold of infinity, and makes her Queen, not only of men, but also of angels” (Fire Within, Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen).

“Your name, O Mother of God, is filled with every divine grace and blessing. You carried in your womb Him whom the heavens could not contain. You nourished Him who feeds the whole world. The Lord of the universe willed to have need of you, for you gave Him the flesh which He did not have before. Rejoice, O Mother and Handmaid of God! Rejoice! You have for debtor Him who gives existence to all creatures; we are all debtors to God, but God is debtor to you!” (St. Methodius)

The Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Mother of God, is also our mother. “In the natural order, a child needs a mother, and suffers both morally and spiritually without one; so also in the supernatural order, souls need a mother, they need Mary, most holy… Then let us call her by that name, let us treat her as a mother—as the Mother of God first of all and then as our own Mother—since Jesus, when dying on the Cross, put at our disposal the treasures of her maternity” (Fire Within, Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen). Let us nurture our relationship with our Blessed Mother and, through her, continually draw closer to Christ Himself.

The Queen Mother’s reign does not subjugate but rather elevates; her reign does not demand our service but rather serves us. She embraces humility, simplicity, and poverty; she identifies with shepherds and other marginalized people rather than the temple elites and aristocrats. She longs to help us all on our journey to God, to intercede for us in our heavenly adoption, and to guide us toward our heavenly inheritance. Her glory is rooted in her humility and service. May we imitate Jesus and Mary in this royal service as heirs to a royal family, the very family of God.

“[T]he Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation” (Bl. Pope Pius XII).

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“So Mary is a Queen. And, for our consolation, we ought to remember that she is a most tender and kind Queen, eager to help us in our miseries. So much so that the Church wants us to call her in this prayer a Queen of Mercy. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

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May we come to better understand that divine royalty is always forged through humility, sacrifice, and love. May we imitate these qualities as beautifully exemplified by our Holy Mother and Queen!

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that by meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.